Morning Midas Still Ablaze Off Alaskan Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard is actively working to extinguish a persistent fire aboard the car carrier MORNING MIDAS, located approximately 220 miles south of Adak, Alaska. The first salvage vessel has now reached the scene, joining the ongoing efforts.

The incident began on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025, when smoke was detected on a deck full of electric vehicles. The MORNING MIDAS was transporting cargo from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, when the fire erupted. Despite the crew’s emergency response and the activation of onboard fire suppression systems, the blaze intensified, forcing all 22 crew members to abandon ship.

The crew evacuated via lifeboat and were subsequently rescued by the merchant vessel COSCO HELLAS. Currently, the tug vessel GRETCHEN DUNLAP is on site with salvage personnel working to assess the conditions.

Photos released by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday confirm that the fire aboard the car carrier MORNING MIDAS had spread throughout the entire vessel, starting near the stern.

The Liberian flagged MORNING MIDAS, a 600-foot Pure Car and Truck Carrier, was transporting cargo of approximately 3,159 vehicles, including 65 fully electric and 681 hybrid electric vehicles. In addition to its vehicle cargo, the vessel was carrying approximately 350 metric tons of fuel and 1,530 metric tons of low sulfur fuel oil.

“The safety of the public, responders, and vessel crews operating in the area remains our top priority,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District. “We are working closely with Zodiac Maritime to ensure a safe and effective plan to address the fire and mitigate any potential impacts to the environment”.

The U.S. Coast Guard is working closely with Zodiac Maritime, the vessel’s manager, and Resolve Marine, the appointed salvage company, providing expert guidance to refine their salvage and safety plans.

Despite the intensity of the fire, recent U.S. Coast Guard overflights have reported no signs of pollution, and the vessel appears to be stable. The MORNING MIDAS was last pinpointed about 218 miles south of Amatignak Island, roughly 11 miles inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.

Monitoring the situation closely, authorities are contending with challenging weather conditions, including winds reported at 45-50 knots and 6-foot seas. The MORNING MIDAS is currently drifting northeast at approximately 1.8 miles per hour.